New Era Cap CEO charged after parking lot altercation

BUFFALO, N.Y. » The head of the company that makes baseball caps for the country’s biggest sports leagues was arraigned on a felony charge Monday in Buffalo, New York, after allegedly driving his vehicle toward his girlfriend’s ex-husband during an argument over the weekend.

New Era Cap CEO Christopher Koch, 61, was released without bail after appearing in City Court on a felony reckless endangerment charge.

New Era, headquartered in Buffalo, supplies caps for Major League Baseball, and also makes the official sideline and on-court caps for the NFL and NBA.

The judge also issued a nocontact order on behalf of the alleged victim, whose name was not released. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn later identified him to reporters as the ex-husband of Koch’s girlfriend.

Koch is accused of intentionally driving toward the ex-husband when the man got out of his vehicle in a Buffalo restaurant parking lot on Saturday. The man hurt his hand while jumping out of the way to avoid being hit, Flynn said. Koch then hit the man’s vehicle, damaging the passenger side, the prosecutor said.

Gary Wiepert, File - The Associated Press Chris Koch, President and CEO of New Era Cap Co., the official on-field cap of the National Football League and the Buffalo Bills, talks during a press conference, Aug. 18, 2016, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Koch was arraigned on a felony charge on Monday, May 9, 2022, after allegedly driving his vehicle toward a man during an argument and hitting the man’s car.